What Should I Wear to Go Ice Skating
Thin socks, long pants, layers that come off: what to wear ice skating, part by part.
All 47 things to wear
Legs
Top layers
Socks
Hands and head
For an indoor rink
For a pond or outdoor rink
Leave at home
Legs 7
Form-fitting pants, for a basic or freestyle class What a Minnesota city asks of those classes: form-fitting clothes or skating attire. Leggings snug at the ankle, for a figure class A Minnesota skating school says they can sit over the ankle of the skate. Leggings you can move in easily On the class lists of a Minnesota skating school and a Massachusetts skating club. Long pants, whatever the season Recommended by a California rink and required on the ice at a Wyoming county’s lessons. Padded shorts under your pants A Colorado club says skaters at any level may wear them, for confidence as much as padding. Snow pants, for a small child’s first lessons An Edmonton club recommends them for beginners. A Minnesota city names them for its youngest classes. Sweatpants or warm-up pants Better than bulkier snow pants, the national learn-to-skate program’s first-day guide says.
Top layers 7
Layers you can take off Skaters should shed layers as they warm up, the national learn-to-skate guide says. Light sweatshirt or fleece The middle layer on a Massachusetts club’s list for beginners. Long-sleeve shirt as the first layer Where a Massachusetts skating club starts a beginner’s outfit. Loose, layered athletic wear The whole clothing line on one New York arena’s list of suggested equipment. Sweater as one of the layers An Alaska city’s lessons ask for layers and name sweaters and sweatshirts. Warm jacket that is not bulky A Massachusetts club’s pick for the top layer, so a beginner can still bend and balance. Warm vest over a snug undershirt, for a figure class What a Minnesota skating school asks of its figure skaters, in place of a hoodie.
Socks 5
One pair of thin socks Lightweight socks work best, the national learn-to-skate guide says. The boot does the supporting. Socks bought at the rink, if you forgot One Connecticut outdoor rink sells socks and gloves on site. Ask at the skate counter. Socks of some kind, to rent skates A California rink will not rent skates without them. A Connecticut park rink also requires socks. Tall socks that reach above the boot A California rink asks for tall and thin. A Massachusetts club says tall socks cut down rubbing. Thin tights in place of socks The national learn-to-skate guide names thinner tights as the other good choice.
Hands and head 8
Bicycle helmet, if your rink accepts one A California rink and a Wyoming county’s lessons accept one. A Calgary club does not. Gloves or mittens They protect your hands when you fall and get back up, the national learn-to-skate guide says. Gloves with fingers, for a first class A Minnesota skating school advises against mittens and hockey gloves at its first level. Hair tied back in a ponytail or bun A Colorado club requires it of figure skaters, so hair stays out of the face in a spin. Helmet for a beginner All beginning skaters should wear one, the national learn-to-skate program says. Hockey helmet The kind Toronto recommends at its rinks and a Calgary club recommends in class. Ski helmet Permitted at a Calgary club’s lessons and named for Ottawa’s canal skateway. Waterproof gloves for a young child A Calgary club and a Massachusetts club both suggest them, since beginners’ hands end up wet.
For an indoor rink 4
Clothes for a cold winter day A Rhode Island club tells skaters to dress for class as if they were going outside in winter. Clothes that cover your arms and legs What an Oxford rink recommends to public skaters, with gloves if you have them. Jacket or sweatshirt, even in summer One California rink gives its air as 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. Warm clothes for whoever watches An Oxford rink reminds parents watching from the rink side to dress for it too.
For a pond or outdoor rink 8
Clothes for the day’s weather A Connecticut outdoor rink’s whole dress advice: dress for the weather, in layers if it is cold. Elbow and knee pads Also on the recommended list for Ottawa’s canal skateway, where the ice can be uneven. Hockey skates rather than figure skates, on rough ice Toe picks catch on bumps and cracks, says the agency that runs Ottawa’s canal skateway. Life jacket, on a pond or a lake Among the ice safety tips of Pennsylvania’s state parks for skating natural ice. Warm hat on a pond A Massachusetts parks department says not to forget one on a pond. Warm layers How Pennsylvania’s state parks tell skaters to dress for natural ice. Water-resistant outer layer On a Massachusetts city parks department’s list of tips for skating its ponds. Wrist guards on a canal or a pond Recommended equipment on Ottawa’s canal skateway, with a certified helmet.
Leave at home 8
No baseball cap, at some British rinks An Oxford rink allows beanies but not baseball caps. Another British rink bars peaked caps. No blue jeans at a lesson A Calgary club asks parents to avoid them: they restrict movement and are heavy when wet. No headphones Not allowed on the ice at a New York arena or at one British rink. No hood up on the ice Two British rink operators rule it out, hoodies included. No loose drawstrings or dangling clothing A Massachusetts club says to avoid anything long that could get in the way. No oversized winter coat A Massachusetts club says a big coat gets in the way of bending and balancing. No second pair of socks One pair is what the national guide and a California rink both ask for. No thick or bulky socks They limit support and make uncomfortable bumps inside the boot, the national learn-to-skate guide says.
How this list was compiled
The 47 things to wear or to leave at home, and the line under each, were written for this page on 2026-10-13; no list was copied. Each row follows what a rink, a skating club, a city or a park agency publishes for its own skaters, read on 2026-10-13. The national program: Learn to Skate USA, The first day of skating (https://www.learntoskateusa.com/sites/default/files/2025-05/2024_LTS_FirstDayofSkating.pdf ). Rinks and arenas: Skatetown, Roseville, California, public skating questions (https://www.skatetown.biz/Public-Skating/Public-Skating-FAQs ); Codey Arena, Essex County, New Jersey (https://essexcountyparks.org/south-mountain/codey-arena/faqs ); McCann Ice Arena, Poughkeepsie, New York (https://mccannicearena.org/public-skating/ ); the skating center at Mill River Park, Stamford, Connecticut (https://millriverpark.org/the-park/cohen-skating-center/faq/ ); Oxford Ice Rink, England (https://www.lilleshallhouse.co.uk/oxford-ice-rink/ice-rink-faqs/ ); On Ice, safety guidelines for its British rinks (https://www.onice.co.uk/safety-guide-lines ); Cool Coast Ice Rink, etiquette (https://coolcoasticerink.co.uk/etiquette/ ); the seasonal rink at Rochdale Town Hall, England (https://www.santasvillage.co.uk/faq-ice-rink ). Lessons and clubs: City of Wasilla, Alaska, skating lesson questions (https://www.cityofwasilla.gov/faq.aspx?TID=21 ); Campbell County, Wyoming, skating lessons (https://www.campbellcountywy.gov/1086/Ice-Skate ); City of Apple Valley, Minnesota, learn to skate (https://www.applevalleymn.gov/1227/Learn-to-Skate ); River Blades Skating School, Hastings, Minnesota (http://www.riverbladesskating.com/group-lessons-blog/2021/8/29/eezrrd25r8wdmn6pprmhv5768lr97f); Skating Club of Hingham, Massachusetts (https://www.skateclubhingham.org/blog/what-to-wear-for-ice-skating-lessons-a-parents-guide-for-kids-and-beginners ); Steamboat Skating Club, Colorado, recommended gear (https://www.steamboatskatingclub.org/about/recommended-gear/15452 ); Pawtucket and Providence Figure Skating Club, Rhode Island (https://ppfsc.org/learn-to-skate ); a figure skating club in Calgary, equipment checklist (https://www.ccafigureskatingclub.ca/pages/member-resources/equipment-checklist/lts/ ); Gateway Skating Club, Edmonton, required equipment (https://www.gatewayskatingclub.org/pages/PROGRAMS/LEARN-TO-SKATE/REQUIRED-EQUIPMENT/ ). Outdoor ice: National Capital Commission, safety tips for the Rideau Canal Skateway, Ottawa (https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/safety-tips-rideau-canal-skateway ); City of Toronto, drop-in skating and helmet requirements (https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/program-activities/ice-snow-activities/public-leisure-skating/ ); Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, sledding and ice skating (https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/what-to-do/sledding-and-ice-skating ); City of Springfield, Massachusetts, parks department, Safe ice for safe skating (https://www.springfield-ma.gov/park/fileadmin/Ice_Safety/skatesafe.pdf ). Every rink and class sets its own rules, so read your own before you go; whether natural ice is safe to skate is a question for the people who manage it, not for this list. Left out on purpose: brands, prices and anything about body shape. Licence: own work
How it works What should I wear to go ice skating? Long pants, layers that come off, one pair of thin socks and gloves. These 47 things follow what rinks, skating clubs and the national learn-to-skate program tell their own skaters.
Read the full guide
How cold a rink is, indoors and out
Indoor ice is cold in July. The national learn-to-skate guide says arenas keep their thermostats at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and a New Jersey county arena advises clothing that is warm but light. So the outfit is the same in any season, and one layer comes off once you are moving. Outdoors the weather decides, and natural ice is rougher than a rink. Toronto encourages every skater to wear a helmet on the park rinks that volunteers build each winter, and at its leisure skates a helmet is required for children six and under.
Forgot your gloves? Ask at the desk. The national learn-to-skate guide says lost-and-found boxes sometimes hold a spare pair to borrow.
Questions and answers
What should I wear ice skating for the first time?
Dress to fall and get back up: gloves, a helmet and pants you can bend in. The national learn-to-skate guide says to arrive about 20 minutes early for rental skates and to try pairs until one is snug, with room to wiggle your toes.
Should I wear thick socks ice skating?
No. Skating programs ask for one thin pair. A Massachusetts club says a thick sock can bunch inside the skate and loosen the fit, and that a skate that fits matters more for warmth than a bulky sock.
Can you wear jeans ice skating?
For public skating, a California rink recommends long pants and names no fabric. For lessons, a Calgary club says to avoid blue jeans, and the national learn-to-skate guide prefers sweatpants or warm-up pants.
Can you wear a scarf ice skating?
It depends on the rink. One British operator lists a scarf with the coat, hat and gloves. Two other British rinks want scarves off on the ice, and a Massachusetts club tells parents to avoid them at lessons. Check your own rink’s rules.